As a method of setting a parameter required for various known functional modules for a programmable controller, such as setting values required for a specification requested by a user in an object functional module, a method is known in which a sequence program including a setting value which is meaningfully set for each functional module is prepared outside the programmable controller and the sequence program is transmitted to the programmable controller for execution. Here, the setting value which is meaningfully set for each functional module is transmitted to an inner memory area of each object functional module which is opened to the user or an inner memory area for checking a state of a functional module.
The sequence program is prepared by using an address of each parameter area which is allocated to an object module at the time of setting a parameter of various functional modules for the programmable controller by the use of the sequence program. The sequence program prepared by a programmer or a sequence program designer is checked by a debugging operation to validate whether the parameter is correctly set for the various functional modules.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, that is, in order to reduce a programmer's labor for the debugging operation, there has been suggested a method using a character string (a label name) allocated to the address instead of using the address of an individual parameter area allocated to the object module as an easy mark method for the programmer of the sequence program (see Patent Document 1). However, the method is equal to the known technology in that it requires preparing the sequence program for setting the parameter.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-338732.
Meanwhile, as another method of setting the various functional modules for the programmable controller, there is a method of using application software. In this method, instead of setting a parameter using the sequence program, the parameter set by using parameter setting values of the application software is treated as the parameter of the programmable controller and then transmitted to the address of the parameter area of the various functional modules at the time of operating the programmable controller, thereby setting the parameter. At this time, the application software sets the parameter by using an item name defined for each of the functional modules without using the address.